One of my absolute favorite working-mom girlfriends asked me for some salad dressing recipes the other day. First of all, let me just say that full-time working moms are ah-mazing. It is beyond me how you ladies get it all done. I'm in awe. Getting dinner on the table is hard regardless of whether you have kiddos or not, but little ones and a full-time job can make a homemade meal at a reasonable hour one of the most perplexing and frustrating daily struggles.

I told my friend extraordinaire that keeping pre-washed greens and a jar of homemade salad dressing in the fridge is one of my favorite fast dinner tricks to ensure something green makes it on the plate. If everything is already prepped, throwing some lettuce in a bowl and tossing it with your own dressing takes literally 30 seconds. Plus, with the right dressing, a green salad is delicious and darn good for you too—healthy fats help you absorb the lettuce's nutrients, and making your own dressing is the best way to know you're eating high-quality ingredients. And if you make a jar of dressing once a week, the homemade kind is almost as easy as buying a bottle at the store. Plus, you made it yourself!

Despite the fact that salad dressing is one of the things I make most frequently, the Anne food. recipe archive has been seriously lacking when it comes to the dressing department (as pointed out by the aforementioned, very astute girlfriend of mine). So here's one of my favorites to rectify the situation.

Note: I've been known to dip fresh veggies in this dressing, pour it over brown rice and chicken, and drizzle it on sweet potatoes. Basically, you can use it for anything.

SHALLOT DIJON VINAIGRETTE

1 shallot, minced

a three-finger pinch of flaky sea salt

about 12 grinds black pepper

1/4 cup acid (lemon juice, champagne vinegar, or a combination of the two)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the shallot, sea salt, black pepper and acid in a jar. Stir and let the shallot macerate for at least 10 minutes (to get rid of the oniony zing). Then add the Dijon and olive oil, and shake vigorously.

It has been a long time since my last recipe post—I’ve been busy eating meat. Well, working on some exciting projects at Foodstand, and eating the occasional portion of meat. But yes, I've reincorporated meat into my diet. I stopped eating the stuff about three and a half years ago. I was never a big steak fan, but I always enjoyed chicken, turkey, pork, and obviously bacon (because bacon is amazingly delicious). But one morning I woke up, and the thought of eating any kind of meat was, let's say, less than appetizing.

But this past October I slowly began to reincorporate both poultry and other meat into my diet. Two things triggered the switch. The first was that my doctor instructed me to eat some red meat every week for health reasons, and the second was research I had been conducting for Foodstand's Eat Less Meat Challenge. Yes, seems counterintuitive. Let me explain.

On average, we eat a crazy amount of meat. The global livestock industry produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all cars, planes, trains and ships combined. Scary huh! Many Americans can’t even imagine a meal without meat or animal products, which leaves barely any room in one’s diet for fruits, vegetables and whole grains. All of which help lower your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

However, in limited quantities, meat can play a nutritious role in your diet. Think of meat as an accessory on your plate instead of the star of the show, and rely on other protein-rich foods like nuts, beans, plain yogurt and fish to play a larger role. The key is the type of meat you choose, and the frequency with which you eat it. I now eat a small portion of red meat about once per week, and other lean meats such as chicken about 2 times per week. I’m talking meals here, so out of the approximately 21 meals I eat per week, meat is present at about 3 of them. I don’t eat hot dogs or sausage, both of which have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. I only eat uncured bacon—and very rarely. And I make sure that my meat is sustainably-raised, local, and organic.

I mentioned the environmental impact of the global livestock industry—here’s where it gets interesting. Contrary to popular belief, livestock isn’t inherently bad for the environment, according to my research. Cows that are strictly grass-fed and rotated over different pieces of land are no problem at all. The grass grows where it is eaten, the cows help work the land, and their manure is left to naturally fertilize the soil. The problem arises when cows are grain-fed, and confined to small areas. It takes a lot of water and resources to grow and ship the grain, confinement leads to soil erosion, and the collection of manure into lagoons leads to high levels methane and carbon dioxide. If you want to learn more, I highly recommend reading Defending Beef: The Case for Sustainable Meat Productionby Nicolette Hahn Niman. My aunt and uncle suggested I read it (shoutout to the Lindleys!). It's a fascinating read, even if you're not diet geeks like we are.

100% grass-fed cows seem like a no brainer, right? But the livestock industry can’t keep up with our largely meat-based diets by raising cattle sustainably. As a country we eat too much meat—it’s the high demand for meat, and therefore the unsustainable methods by which most meat is raised, that’s problematic. I’ve started eating meat again. But only good meat. Only when I know where it comes from and how it was raised. And I don’t eat too much. Meat is the exception to my mostly plant-based diet.

The following recipe was the first red meat I cooked and ate at home a few months ago. The Man was thrilled. I served it with my Sweet Potato Fries and some simply roasted asparagus. It’s easy, and quite quick—skirt steak tends to be thin and doesn’t require much cooking time, particularly if you like your meat medium rare.

STEAK

1.5 lbs skirt steak

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 rounded tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon garlic powder

a five-fingered pinch sea salt

8 or so grinds of black pepper

TARRAGON BASIL SALSA VERDE

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

the juice from 2 lemons

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 shallots, minced

1 package tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

1 bunch basil leaves, roughly chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all steak ingredients except the steak in a medium container (mixing bowl, Pyrex etc.) and whisk together. Add the steak and toss to coat the steak with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours (overnight is great too).

In the meantime, make your Tarragon Basil Salsa Verde by combining all ingredients except the herbs and whisk with a fork. Add the herbs and toss to combine. Cover and keep in the fridge.

Remove the marinated steak and herb salsa from the fridge about 30 minutes before you’re ready to start cooking. Wipe a cast iron pan with olive oil, and set over high heat. Once hot, add the steak to the pan. If the pan is hot enough, you should immediately hear a sizzle. Let the meat cook without disturbing it for about 4 minutes, then flip it over and let the other side cook for 4 additional minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, drape with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.

Cut the steak across the grain at a diagonal for nice, thin slices. Arrange on a platter or individual plates and generously drizzle with the herb sauce.

Note: My steaks were thick enough such that they were medium/rare after resting. If you have particularly thick steaks, cook an additional minute or two on each side, or if your steaks are quite thin they might only need 2-3 minutes per side. Additionally, be sure not to crowd the steaks in the pan—you don’t want them to steam. Either use two pans, or after half of the meat has cooked, cook the second half.

News flash: It's official, the Man is now my husband! We had a beyond belief magical wedding—one that will likely rival the births of our future children for best memory ever, and a fantastic honeymoon, and now it feels really good to be home. I'm still basking in all the love, and at the same time adoring being "normal" at home, whatever that means.

Yes, I will give you the lowdown on rehearsal dinner and wedding food soon—our fun and talented photographer Dev took photos of everything delectable for me to share with you. (I took the night off from photographing food. I'm not sure what the Man would have done had I pulled out my camera and started composing a shot before digging in.) Everything was even more delicious than we had imagined, and I can't wait to share what our chefs prepared.

While Dev is working her photo editing magic, I want to celebrate "normal" married life with a wonderfully easy, deliciously normal, staple, basic, at-home recipe that I missed while we were away. Traveling and eating every meal out while on honeymoon was absolutely luxurious and fun, but by the end of our vacation I was definitely craving a home cooked meal. (And something that wasn't tuna.)

The most "normal" meal I can think of is eggs—and not just for breakfast. Eggs in the morning are fantastic, but eggs for dinner are even better. This recipe is rich and cheesy with some scallion zing, and I love to eat it with a side salad and a bright vinaigrette. These cheesy eggs are also perfect on sourdough toast with hot sauce and a piece of crispy bacon if you're looking a something meatier (as my husband! does).

Everyone argues about the perfect way to make scrambled eggs—add milk, add water, scramble them in the pan, use a whisk, use a fork... But there's something to be said about scrambling them in a bowl, straight up. I use a fork because it's easier to clean, and I'm not a huge fan of the super fluff when it comes to my eggs. I'm always wary of the ultra tall, homogenous omelet that looks like it was puffed with air. The fork is straightforward, I like the texture, and it goes happily into my dishwasher after I get it dirty.

CHEESY SCALLION SCRAMBLED EGGS

1/2 bunch scallions - white and green parts, sliced

5 eggs

a mounded 1/4 cup manchego cheese, grated

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon butter

extra virgin olive oil

Add the butter and a splash of olive oil to a nonstick pan (I use SCANPAN) over low heat. Add the scallions and sauté for about a minute.

Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl, and scramble them with a fork. Add the manchego cheese, a good pinch of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Fork them again.

Pour the eggs on top of the scallions, and let the mixture cook without stirring for about 45 seconds. Then use a spatula and stir, turning the egg mixture over and mixing it around until it is just barely set. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

I love quesadillas. As far as greasy comfort food goes—I don't eat meat, so burgers and hot dogs are off the table. And no bread for me, so pizza isn't an option either. But a cheesy, crisp quesadilla on corn tortillas makes me really, really happy. My ultimate greasy comfort food.

Of course I can never order a quesadilla at a restaurant because they are made with cow's milk cheese, so the Man and I enjoy 'quesadilla night' at home from time to time using goat cheddar or some other goat or sheep milk cheese that melts well. I like to use a combination of cheeses because it adds more flavor—generally a good melter, and something with a little more tang mixed in. We had manchego in the fridge the other day so I used that, or pecorino is great, and goat gouda is obviously a real treat.

Other mandatory ingredients in my basic quesadillas are cilantro, salt, and red pepper flakes. The cilantro adds some green and flavor. Plus, if the leaves overflow the tortillas they get nice and crispy in the pan. (If you haven't had crispy cilantro you need to get right on it. Delicious.) You might think the salt is unnecessary because of the salty cheese, but a little crunchy salt bite every once and a while is totally worth it. I have a Hawaiian style black salt that is perfect, but feel free to omit or use sea salt if desired. And then of course red pepper flakes, because a crispy, cheesy quesadilla needs a little kick.

While I do like to indulge in a quesadilla every once in a while, I always need something to offset the richness. I typically serve them with a green salad (avocado makes a nice addition) and beans— either black or pinto that I've sautéed in olive oil on the stove with some garlic, onions, ground cumin, sea salt and black pepper.

ADULT QUESADILLAS WITH CILANTRO

6 corn tortillas

3 handfuls of grated cheese (goat cheddar and manchego, or goat cheddar and pecorino, or whatever you prefer)

Place two cast iron pans on medium heat, and add a little splash of olive oil and a small pat of butter (about a teaspoon) to each. (Note: if you have one pan, cook the quesadillas one at a time instead of cooking them all at once.)

Once hot, add three tortillas to the pans. Distribute one half of the cheese mixture between the three tortillas. Sprinkle each with a small amount of black salt and red pepper flakes. Then distribute the cilantro between the tortillas. Finally, distribute the remaining cheese between the three, and cover with a tortilla on each.

Press each quesadilla with a spatula, and continue to cook until the bottom tortillas are golden and crisp. Flip them over, and cook for a few additional minutes, until the new bottom tortillas are golden and crisp as well.

Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for a few minutes. Cut in quarters with a sharp knife, and serve.

Using measuring spoons to make a smoothie is unnecessary. It's not chemistry as is baking, and no one ingredient is overpowering such that it's going to take over if added in excess. So for this recipe I use one dinner spoon, and the measuring lines on my blender jar. I refer to flat, rounded and heaping spoonfuls in the recipe—pretty self explanatory. When making smoothies, the only thing you really need to worry about is the solids to liquids ratio—it must be balanced so the smoothie isn't too runny, but also not too thick so that it gets stuck in the jar. The more smoothies you make, the better you get at judging the ratio by eye.

Since it has been so nice out lately, I've been getting back into my routine of a smoothie for breakfast. Frozen fruit, frozen greens, some flax and chia seeds, a little nut butter, and sometimes cacao powder and oats. It's a great way to start the day, it's easy, and the Man loves it too, which is always helpful. This green-less version came about because the Man wanted a smoothie treat for a snack, so I decided to make a nutritious milkshake style smoothie to fight the mid-afternoon workday slump.

I used unsweetened hemp milk in this recipe because it's what I had on hand. Almond or soy would work well too, as would cow's milk. Just be sure to use unsweetened milk, or add only one date (instead of two) if using sweetened milk.

A fun salsa is one of my favorite ways to dress up a protein. Last summer I shared my recipe for Stone Fruit Salsa that is perfect with grilled fish, chicken or steak. The smokiness from the grill is a great foil for the sweet fruit and tangy onion. And last spring I posted my Avocado Salsa that I serve with grilled or seared Ahi tuna. I love the creaminess of the avocado and the creaminess of the fish with briney capers and garlic.

This Meyer Lemon Salsa is fresh and bright, with sweet Meyer lemons and shallots, and a lot of fresh parsley. This is a case where Meyer lemons are a must. Meyers are a cross between a true lemon and a mandarin, and are much sweeter and more tender than your typical lemon—you would likely find this salsa to be quite tart and overly chewy with either Lisbon or Eureka lemons.

I intended to make this to serve with trout (I'm in Idaho after all), but there wasn’t any at the fish counter, so fresh, wild, red snapper was a great stand in. The salsa is really quite versatile, and would be perfect with halibut or salmon as well. Quinoa cooked in broth was a nice rich pairing for the bright salsa, and a green salad completed the meal.

Note: I used red wine vinegar because that's what I had on hand in my tiny Ketchum kitchen, but feel free to use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar instead.

MEYER LEMON SALSA

3 meyer lemons

2 shallots, minced

a handful of Italian parsley, chopped

2 splashes red wine vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

2 large pinches of sea salt, crushed

a few large grinds of black pepper

Cut the lemons in half, remove the seeds, and chop the lemons (skin and all) into 1/4 - 1/2 inch pieces. Combine them, as well as any juice from your cutting board, with the shallots and parsley in a bowl. Add a couple of splashes of red wine vinegar, and follow with enough olive oil such that when you stir it all together it’s quite moist, and the oil drips off of the lemons a bit. Season with a couple of pinches of sea salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir to combine, and adjust seasonings to taste.

Lately my favorite new recipes have come about because of one random ingredient that I happen to have leftover from something else. This time it was vermicelli noodles that the Man bought the last time I sent him grocery shopping, which was for my Red Curry Soup. In fact he also went grocery shopping for the remaining ingredients for this recipe… He has been earning some serious grocery store bonus points.

I wasn’t planning to cook dinner—Sunday was the Academy Awards, and for some reason I love getting takeout on Oscar night. But the box of vermicelli noodles was calling my name. I am a total sucker for noodles with tangy peanut sauce and herbs, so I decided to make a rice noodle salad. And the fact that it involves minimal cooking and even less mess was an additional selling point... Broiling shrimp in the oven is a great way to prevent splatter all over your stove and counter. And freshly chopped veggies and quickly sautéed bok choy both have some crunch, and compliment each other well. Dumping a whole pile of mint, cilantro and scallions on top doesn't hurt either!

This salad was the perfect Oscar night solution, but would also be great for any weeknight with a time crunch. Or bring it to a potluck, as it can be assembled ahead, eaten cold and would transport well. And am I allowed to say that the shrimp and carrots with all of the green herbs make the dish quite pretty?

Set a pot of water on the stove to boil, and preheat the oven to broil. Toss the shrimp with olive oil, a few dashes of cayenne pepper, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange on a sheet pan in a single layer, and set aside.

Combine the cucumber and carrot sticks in a small bowl, and set aside. Combine the cilantro, mint and scallions in a small bowl and set aside.

Place the the shrimp into the oven, and cook until opaque. While they cook, add a splash of olive oil and the bok choy to a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté for a few minutes until slightly tender, then remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, add the vermicelli to the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain, and toss with the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil.

Assemble by placing a scoop of noodles onto a plate. Top with bok choy, a couple spoonfuls of the carrots and cucumbers, and a generous serving of the herbs. Add three shrimp around the plate, and drizzle with peanut sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds, and serve.

Alert: this is in fact a film review. And it's for the film that inspired me to step my food blog up to the next level and really go for it— Chef. Here's my tale...

About a year ago, I took myself to the movies. I had been wanting to see Cheffor some time, and finally indulged myself one quiet afternoon. If you haven't seen it, go rent it or watch it on Netflix (or whatever technology you use nowadays) because those two hours were some of the most fun I'd spent in quite some time.

Granted, my specific interest in the subject matter (food) certainly contributed to my immediate love of the film, but food-lover or not, it is a fun, uplifting, and inspirational story with a great cast of characters. And it will make your mouth water. Just a heads up— I bet that afterwards you will likely have a hankering for a Cubano sandwich. If you live in Marin and Sol Food is open- that's great, but otherwise you might have to create a suitable, and equally craveable alternative.

Not being in Marin, I did the next best thing, which was to high-tail it to the store and get the ingredients for Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. No, not a Cuban, but when Jon Favreau cooks this garlicky treat for Scarlett Johansson late night, I couldn't think of much else for the remainder of the film. My chair dancing persisted, and at the end of the movie I whipped out my magic phone and Google searched to confirm that the garlic swimming in oil in Jon's pan was indeed the key ingredient for the classic pasta dish I was envisioning.

It was, and the best part was that my search resulted in not just any Spaghetti Aglio e Olio recipe, but Roy Choi's recipe for the classic. For those of you less food nerdy than I, Roy Choi is the Korean food truck king, a classically trained chef who recognized that street food is well worthy of his Culinary Institute of America, Le Bernadin past. And Chef is all about a once top-tier, LA-based, Michelin star rated, restaurant chef turned food truck extraordinaire. Coincidence? I thought not. And a great addition to an already fantastic movie.

Watching Chef again with the Man (he hadn't seen it, and needed to understand why I'd been so excited) I noticed Roy Choi's name in the credits! Evidently I was so enthused by my first viewing that I bopped out of my seat and missed that little detail. So I looked up this LA Eater article about how Choi shaped the film. Pretty neat. Rumor of writer/director Jon Favreau and Choi partnering up to open a real restaurant in LA? Time will tell, but if so, I'm going. Besides, the Man has decided my life's mission is to make a grilled cheese with Roy Choi. An interesting mission since I don't eat grilled cheese or cook Korean food, but he really was the inspiration that I need to make Anne food. happen...

So here's my version of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. It's gluten-free, made with Pecorino, tastes a bit spicy, and is utterly delicious. I made it again last night. And hoarded the leftovers for lunch. What? I needed the inspiration!

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions. (Make sure not to overcook, as brown rice pasta can become gummy.) Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large cast iron (or deep sauté) pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir occasionally for a few minutes, or until the garlic is just starting to turn golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and add the red pepper flakes, a couple large pinches of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Add the drained spaghetti to the pan, and juice both lemon halves directly over the noodles. Toss until thoroughly combined. Add the parsley and Pecorino, and toss again.

I've been grilling vegetables all summer long. Toss them with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and onto the grate they go. Broccolini may be my favorite. The stems stay intact and retain their texture, while the florets get nice and charred. And together they make the perfect bite. The Man and I spent Labor Day weekend with a couple of his siblings, and yesterday I threw some broccolini on the grill with fish, burgers and corn for an easy early evening dinner. The broccolini was a hit. And involved practically zero prep and clean up.

But now that Labor Day has come and gone, many of us will start to transition our cooking lives according to the weather- replacing time spent at the grill with time spent by the oven. But luckily roasting a vegetable in the oven is just as delicious as the grilled variation. And with the same limited amount of work involved, which is perfect for those busy back-to-school weeknights when the sunlight disappears earlier, and the days are gone before you know it.

Simply tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper on a sheet pan, practically any vegetable will taste delicious alongside a protein, tossed into a pasta, or atop brown rice. Salt and pepper hold their own, but if you want to jazz things up a bit try adding an herb or spice to the mix, as I do with these carrots.

I decided to mix up my salad streak, and throw some pasta into the mix. One could say that this is the fourth installment of my summer salads, but I've used pasta instead of fruit. Huh? Well, it has two of the three elements of the Anne food. summer salad formula (which you can read about with my Cantaloupe Basil Salad recipe). And the ratio of pasta to greens is low, so it's more a salad than it is a pasta. Plus the greens are fresh and raw, as they only wilt slightly when adding the hot noodles. And it's dressed like a salad, with no additional sauce to speak of. So I think it counts.

While you do need to turn on the stove to cook the noodles, the heat released into the room as a result is bearable. And it's really refreshing and summery while actually providing some substance, so it's totally worth it.

I recently discovered Jovial Gluten-Free Traditional Tagliatelle Egg Pasta from Italy, and I am in love. It's made from brown rice flour and eggs. That's it. And it tastes exactly like normal gluten-filled egg noodles. I recommending using egg pasta for this recipe, but you can use whatever you have on hand. I also really do like shape of the long, thick tagliatelle noodles with the greens, so use those if you can. Sometimes I don't care what shape I use, but in this recipe it makes a difference.

One final note, in case you missed my blurb on cutting basil into a chiffonade (also in my Cantaloupe Basil Salad post), a chiffonade is simply thinly sliced strips of fresh basil (or any leafy thing). Slicing the leaves helps to release their flavor. The best way to do this is to stack the leaves on top of each other, about 8 in a pile, and roll them lengthwise into a cylinder before slicing across with a sharp knife. It sounds more complex than it is.

Cook your pasta according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Set the dressing aside.

Add the radicchio and arugula to a large bowl. Chiffonade your basil, and toss that in too. Drain your cooked pasta, and add it on top of your greens, along with the dressing. Toss to coat. Add the crumbled chèvre and toss so it melts slightly, and top with your toasted pine nuts. Drizzle with additional olive oil, and grind some more black pepper to garnish.

A couple of months ago I mentioned a new app called Foodstand in a post titled We all eat on the blog. I said there was more on the Foodstand front to come, and come it has. A month ago they brought me on as their lead content writer! Part of the job is writing ingredient-centric features for their newsletter, and last week it was all about figs. That's right, somehow it is already late August, which means that autumn is just around the corner. (I prefer to view it that way, than the "summer is almost gone" way. Call me an optimist.)

Here's a photo I featured in the Foodstand newsletter.

Excited by my weekly ingredient, I knew I wanted to include my favorite easy fig dessert in the newsletter: Figs, Ricotta and Honey. And coincidentally my future sister-in-law had just given the Man and me an engagement gift of honey- perfect timing! Ricotta and honey can be paired with many fruits to make a tasty dessert, such as assorted berries and/or stone fruit. (Tip: blueberries and peach slices with ricotta and honey make a great combo too.) But the fig pairing isn't to be missed.

Like most ingredients, different ricottas vary greatly. It has been hard for me to find a sheep's milk ricotta that I really love back east (they tend to be too dry), so if you have a good recommendation, please let me know. But in California, Bellwether Farms' Sheep Ricotta cannot be beat. It is so silky and smooth with delicious flavor. And California has such amazing figs, so you West Coasters have no excuse. Actually, you East Coasters don't have any excuse either- get out there and enjoy the season!

For the Foodstand recipe I used Kadota figs, but you can use any variety of fig you like. For a rundown on different fig varieties, feel free to visit the blog version of the Foodstand newsletter. And try the recipe below! If you can call it a recipe. It's really just assembly instructions. Sort of like Ikea but much simpler and doesn't involve a hex wrench or particle board.

I've been on 55 flights in 2015. So far. 16 in the last three weeks. It's pretty bad. I went from a Delta Sky Miles member, to Silver Medallion status, to Gold Medallion status in seemingly a matter of minutes. Which is great, except that the only time being a frequent flier is helpful is when you're at the airport or flying. So really I'd rather forgo all the miles and have weekends instead of weekly travel days, but what can you do. The Man is worth it (most of the time... wink wink), and for the time being we must travel.

I typically maintain a pretty balanced diet despite all of the airports and planes- you learn where you can find a vegetable, and that Kit's Organic Clif bars are your saving grace if you have to fly through ATL. And we're usually in Connecticut or Idaho long enough for me to make at least a couple of solid grocery store runs for home-cooked meal ingredients before we have to turn around and leave again.

But the last few weeks have blown all norms out the window. When you're only in one place for two full days before driving back to the airport, and the nearest good grocery store is at least 30 minutes away, you barely have enough time to check the mailbox and get your work done, let alone journey to the store. So we've been eating out. A lot. As in, almost exclusively for the last three weeks that these terrible two-day-turnarounds have been happening. Thank goodness I'm in Connecticut for at least a few weeks straight now. I thought my head might pop off.

So what did I make for my first real home cooked meal in weeks? I grilled! Whole fish! Fresh local corn! Radicchio and leeks! And I served my Stone Fruit Salsa alongside. IT WAS HEAVENLY! It is my firm belief that a good stone fruit salsa will transform any barbecue from typical to spectacular. It has something do do with the smoky-sweet combo. Anything that comes off the grill with a nice char tastes even more delightful with something sweet to balance the smoke.

You can use any stone fruit you like for this salsa, whether it be peaches and pluots like I did here, or plums, nectarines, apricots or cherries. A little crunch and tang from some onion, spice from jalapeño, green from cilantro and acid, and your barbecue transformation is complete. And it really doesn't matter what protein you decide to cook since fruit salsas are amazingly universal. Fish, steak, chicken, lamb, goat, quail... you name it- it all works.

Another perk? You can make this ahead so if you're in a rush come barbecue time, simply throw your protein on the grill, make a quick green salad, and pull your salsa out of the fridge. Dinner is served.

STONE FRUIT SALSA

1 yellow peach, pitted and chopped

2 pluots, pitted and chopped

1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeño, deseeded and minced

a large handful cilantro, chopped

1/2 lime, juiced

a splash of apple cider vinegar

a splash of extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss, and taste. Add additional salt and pepper as needed. Let sit for 30 minutes (or longer) before serving.

Ketchum may not have that wide a variety of fresh fish, but it sure does have good Idaho trout! Nine times out of ten it's my fish of choice at the grocery store because of how fresh it looks, which makes sense really, since all of the other fish have to travel from the coast. The trout is never frozen, it's obviously local, and it's cheap- often the least expensive fish in the case at $8 per pound!

I never cooked trout before coming to Idaho last year. I had certainly eaten it at restaurants; in fact one of my favorite fish dishes in Marin was from Fish. in Sausalito. The restaurant's daily fish special features your choice of oak-grilled fish on pasta, on a sandwich, or atop organic greens from County Line Harvest (one of my favorite farmers to visit the Marin Farmers' Market). And I always ordered the greens with trout! But it was the Man who got me started cooking it.

One of the things I love about this fish is how crispy the skin gets when it's properly seared in a hot pan. Trout fillets are quite thin and cook very quickly- in fact they're the perfect thickness to achieve crisp skin and cook the fish practically all the way through without having to flip it, making for beautiful soft and tender flesh. If your fish cooks through before the skin becomes too crisp- fantastic, otherwise have a preheated oven ready and place your pan directly inside until the fillets are done.

I served the trout pictured above with my Fennel Roasted Garbanzo Beans and some sautéed radicchio with balsamic vinegar. It makes for a deliciously creamy meal with a bit of bite. But the trout would also be great with a simple green salad like they serve at Fish.! In fact, I think we'll have to serve that at the wedding...

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Rub your fish with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add a splash of olive oil to a large cast iron or oven-proof stainless steel skillet, and heat it on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the fish skin-side down. Once the skin starts to crisp, the fish will release from the pan, but until then don't touch it!

You will begin to see the top of the fish lighten in color as it cooks through. Check the crispness of the skin by gently lifting a fillet with a spatula. Once the skin is golden and crisp, add a squirt of lemon juice to the pan. If the skin is done but the flesh not quite cooked through, put your pan in the oven for just a couple minute to finish it off. Serve while hot with lemon wedges as desired.

In case you haven't already figured it out, the formula for a trusty summer salad has three parts: some spice from arugula, sweetness from fruit, and creaminess from cheese. And evidently I am on a fruity summer salad kick, this being number three in the line up with my Arugula Salad with Watermelon, Feta and Prosciutto and Grilled Nectarine Salad with Roquefort. If turning on the oven sounds like the worst idea of the decade because it's so darn hot, a fruity summer salad is really your best option. And 90% humidity and 95 degrees in Connecticut certainly qualifies. I wonder how many ways can I make a salad without the Man demanding something more manly? So far so good. Evidently my formula is Man-food approved.

Besides potentially being the quickest food. real quick ever, this salad packs a ton of flavor with practically no work. Roquefort cheese and melon will do it. But a chiffonade of basil makes it even better. "Chiffo-what?" asks the Man who hates it when I pronounce French words correctly. I can't help it. He thinks I'm a snob for calling a croissant "quoi-sanh" instead of "chris-sanT" but I spent too many years sitting in French class to purposefully pronounce it with an American accent.

But back to the chiffonade- it's essentially the only task you have to think about, and is simply slicing basil (or any leafy thing) into thin strips in order to release its flavor. The best way to do this is to stack the leaves on top of each other, about 8 in a pile, and roll them lengthwise into a cylinder before slicing across with a sharp knife. This helps prevent bruising since it's easier to slice through. Plus I love the smell and sound of my knife cutting through a roll of basil leaves. So satisfying. Your olfactory and auditory senses will have a field day. Take that for elevated speech, honey!

Add the arugula and cantaloupe to a salad bowl. Chiffonade your basil leaves, and toss them in the mix. Whisk together the lime juice, Saba, olive oil, a large pinch of sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the dressing over your arugula mixture, and toss to coat. Garnish with the roquefort and toss again. Done!

I ran into a friend a couple of weeks ago who happily reported that my Caesar salad has become one of her staples. I used to make this salad every week for a community dinner while working at PlayHard GiveBack last year, and one night she asked me how I make my dressing. I shared that it is a fairly classic recipe, with anchovy, Dijon and raw egg yolk. She said she was surprised because she typically hates anchovy, and asked for the recipe.

People often shy away from Caesar salad with anchovy, as the dressing can be quite salty and overwhelming. I find the way avoid that is three-fold. First of all, use good quality, glass-jarred Italian anchovy fillets packed in olive oil. Regular tinned anchovies seem to be saltier and more "fishy", and these jarred ones are widely available and not too terribly expensive. Secondly, the quality of olive oil you use makes a big difference. Just like wine, one olive oil can taste completely different from another. Some just taste oily, and when you combine that with strong anchovies you end up with a rich oily fishy disaster. Definitely use extra-virgin olive oil, which along with being less refined, has much more flavor than regular olive oil and helps to mellow the "fishiness" of the anchovies.

Finally, which is also the reason why I call this a "somewhat classic" Caesar, is to use Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan. Pecorino is somewhat stronger and saltier in flavor, which works really nicely along with the flavorful anchovy to cut the rich egg yolk. Basically, instead of letting the flavor come purely from the anchovy, I use the extra-virgin olive oil and Pecorino cheese to create complexity that lacks the dreaded overwhelming fishy punch.

While my Caesar strays from the norm when it comes to choice of cheese, t's a typical recipe with regard to preparation. This salad comes together really quickly, and is great for a night when you don't have much time. It also scales really well, and you can make the dressing ahead, so serving it to a large crowd is not a problem. I've even made this salad for 30 high schoolers and it was a big success, both in terms of easy of quantity and preparation, and appreciation of flavor! I can happily say that like my friend's, many prejudices against raw anchovies have been overthrown by this Caesar!

Combine the garlic, anchovies, mustard, egg yolks and lemon juice in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing becomes thick and glossy. Stir in the Pecorino, then add salt and pepper to taste. If the dressing needs a little more acid, squeeze in a tad more lemon juice.

Chop the romaine into ribbons, and pour the dressing on top. Toss very thoroughly, as the dressing is thick! And garnish with a sprinkle of Pecorino and a few grinds of black pepper.

I had a scarring shrimp incident last fall. I'll spare you the nitty gritty, but let's just say that there was an argument, I folded, and the shrimp were not deveined, much to my chagrin. I was not spared the nitty gritty, and neither were my dinner companions. And I was the one who cooked the shrimp. It was terrible.

So word to the wise, unless you want to have that lovely sandy sensation between your teeth, please devein your shrimp. Sandy vein = shrimp's digestive tract. Not particularly appetizing. So make yourself comfy at your sink, and peel off the shell while leaving the tail on. Then, using a sharp paring knife, slice lengthwise along the back of the shrimp about a centimeter deep in order to expose the dark vein. Once exposed, the vein is easily lifted out with the tip of your knife. Give the shrimp a nice rinse and move along to the next one. It's not rocket science, it's necessary, and fairly quick.

I love shrimp, but sometimes I forget about them. I cook a lot of fish, eggs, beans, quinoa etc... But somehow I tend to lose track of the shrimp. Like the aforementioned foods that don't get left out, shrimp are an awesome source of protein, and one of the fastest cooking at that. And with a quick spice rub they pack a punch of flavor in only a number of minutes, no measuring required!

They're perfect for taco night, tasty on pasta, and a make a great combo with polenta and arugula fennel salad with a citrus vinaigrette, which is how I served them last night.

Add your shrimp to a bowl and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle somewhat liberally with all of your spices. Toss to coat.

Heat a pan (stainless steel or cast iron) over medium-high with a splash of olive oil. Once hot, add your shrimp and distribute them evenly in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side before flipping them over for 2-3 additional minutes. The shrimp are done when they are white throughout.

Why is broccoli such a hated vegetable by American children? Is it because broccoli is the mainstream easy veggie that's served most often, and kids don't tend to be huge vegetable fans in general? Or is it because most broccoli is served in a falling-apart, overcooked pile? I never hid my broccoli in my napkin growing up (call me an early adapter to the vegetable way of living) but I do know kids who did...

Actually, I adore broccoli. The Man and I are designing a vegetable garden right now, and broccoli is a must for me. Roasted in the oven, and cooked on the grill are two of my favorite ways to eat the stuff. But I can be suckered in by the classic steam as well, as long as it has a good dressing. That's the trick.

For a while my mother ate what seemed like 3 heads of broccoli steamed until beyond mushy, doused with olive oil and smashed up with flaky sea salt, practically every day. The one exception to the overcooked pile, I suppose. It's delicious, but a bit weird, and seems like one of those things that you should eat on your own time, while in your underwear in front of the TV. It's like Carrie Bradshaw's secret single behavior of standing at the kitchen counter eating stacks of saltine crackers with grape jelly while reading Vogue magazine... Not something you'd put on your blog, for instance.

So I'm not writing a recipe for smashed broccoli with olive oil and sea salt (though you really should try it), but I am sharing a version of steamed broccoli that's slightly more formal. Put on your pants and get off the couch for this one.

BROCCOLI WITH LEMON CAPER SAUCE

2 medium heads broccoli

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

3 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

a handful of fresh basil leaves

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium. Add the red pepper flakes, garlic, and capers. Let the garlic cook for a couple of minutes until it starts to show a hint of color. Take the pan off the heat and set aside. (The garlic will continue to cook in the hot oil even though the pan is off the heat, so you don't want to overdo it initially on the burner.)

Meanwhile, place a couple inches of water in a pot with a steamer basket, and bring to a simmer. Cut the broccoli into florets and place in the steamer basket. Cover, and steam for about 5 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and can be pierced with a fork.

Transfer the broccoli to a serving bowl, and pour the garlic mixture over the broccoli. Roll up some basil leaves, and slice them thinly. Add the basil, lemon juice and grind some sea salt and black pepper on top to finish.

We had just flown in to Connecticut, and were at Whole Foods on our way home from the airport. Since good grocery stores are a hefty distance from our house, it has become a tradition to stop on our way back into town. I love Idaho, but its selection of fresh, organic fruit and vegetables doesn't quite compare to Connecticut, so I was thrilled to reenter the world of organic watermelon and stone fruit, berries that don't cost an arm and a leg, and beautiful lettuces... The list goes on. It was produce heaven.

It was already eight thirty at night but still quite hot outside, and eyeing the watermelon I decided it would go perfectly in a refreshing salad the next day. I ran the idea of a melon salad with feta and prosciutto by the Man, and he was quite skeptical. I generally have an extremely high regard for his opinion, but in retrospect I'm not sure why I even asked, because truthfully I was going to make the salad regardless. I knew he'd like it! But I asked. He gave me a sideways "eh" face. And I put the ingredients in the cart, feeling somewhat controlling, but I was pretty excited about the salad. The Man has been known to doubt my kitchen creations. Occasionally I whip up a huge dud in the kitchen, though interestingly enough these flops are never the dishes that he doubts...

He loved it- the salad. Glad I stuck to my guns. (You're welcome, honey!) He also loved the feta for the salad, which he discovered well before the salad was ready. It has taken me a while, but I have now learned to have plenty of extra garnishes on hand because a tall, charming, handsome, scruffy creature tends to nibble on them while I'm still cooking...

Anyway, Whole Foods happened to have a delicious sheep milk feta cheese in brine (aka real feta cheese). The cow's milk cheese to which we have grown accustomed in the United States is actually not truly feta; only cheese made in the Greek style from sheep milk is allowed to use the feta name. So when the man asked what kind of cheese it was, he didn't even believe me when I told him. It really isunrecognizably different. Try the real deal- the feta will blow your mind. (Bet you never thought you'd hear that phrase!) And the soft, crumbly, salty cheese pairs beautifully with the sweet melon and spicy arugula...

Note: Simply omit the prosciutto for a vegetarian option. It's delicious either way.

Whisk together the lime juice, balsamic, Saba, olive oil, cayenne, salt and pepper. Add the arugula and melon to a bowl, and dress with the vinaigrette. Toss to coat. Arrange the mixture on a plate, fold in some prosciutto slices, and garnish with the feta.

Sweet potatoes vs. yams: the great debate. We call them sweet potato fries, and candied sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving. But when we walk into a grocery store, we see that our familiar sweet potatoes are labeled yams. What's the deal? The purple-skinned, orange-fleshed "yam" and the golden-skinned, pale-fleshed "sweet potato" are actually both sweet potatoes. The pale variety is a "firm" sweet potato, and the orange variety is a "soft" sweet potato. As the firm variety was produced in the United States before the soft one, it became known simply as the sweet potato. So when the soft variety was introduced, the USDA decided to call it a "yam" to distinguish between the two. Our "yams" somewhat resemble true yams from Africa and Asia, hence the moniker.

So continue calling them sweet potato fries, and do the same with your candied sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving. You've got it right. Don't let the grocery store fool you. And if you're ever abroad and come across the true yam, give me a call and let me know how it tastes. In the meantime, let's talk sweet potatoes because that's what we've got in good ol' America.

I'm rather fond of sweet potato fries. Apple's Bar & Grill at the base of Bald Mountain out Warm Springs serves the best ones in Ketchum, and Mountainside Café in Falls Village, Connecticut serves the best ones back east. Theirs are both true to their name and are actually fried, but honestly sweet potatoes taste just as delicious when baked at home. And good thing because I am notorious for overestimating the amount of sweet potatoes I need for a recipe, and always have a bunch of extras floating around after a round of test kitchen. Luckily they don't spoil easily when kept on the counter, and I can have sweet potato fries in a jiff for days.

I like to balance the sweet potatoes with a little extra kick of spices, but feel free to limit your recipe to salt and pepper if you'd like to stay on the traditional side of things. Also, I leave the skin on because it's a pain to peel off and doesn't get in anyone's way. Plus the skins are full of fiber and nutrients.

SWEET POTATO FRIES

2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1/3-1/2" wide sticks (of varying lengths)

extra virgin olive oil

paprika

chili powder

garlic granules

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss your sweet potatoes with a splash of olive oil on a baking sheet before spreading in a single layer. Lightly dust the potatoes with paprika, chili powder, and garlic granules. Toss to coat, and spread into a single layer again. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Place your sheet pan in the top third of the oven and cook for 10-20 minutes, tossing part way through, until beginning to crisp. Remove the pan from the oven and let sit for a minute or two. Serve and enjoy!

Getting dinner on the table in a timely manner can be challenging enough when it's just you and your significant other. But when kids are involved it's even more pressing. I visited a dear friend of mine in California a few weeks ago, and we talked about how little time she has to cook for her husband and two adorable boys after getting home from work. She inquired about putting prep times on my recipes so that she could easily determine if a meal was going to be quick enough for a work night. I've often found prep times to be inaccurate when following recipes myself since everyone works at a different speed, so thus far I haven't included them.

But my rockstar businesswoman/mom friend had a great idea! While all of my recipes are pretty simple and straightforward, not every night allows for roasting squash in the oven or chopping until your knives are dull. So I've decided to introduce food. real quick, a category that allows all of you pressed-for-time cooks to get dinner on the table stat: in 30 minutes or less. Each speedy recipe will be labeled food. real quick at the top of the post, and can be easily referenced all together under the "RECIPES" tab at the top of the blog feed.

Here's the first food. real quick recipe: White Fish en Papillote. Don't get scared- "en papillote" simply means "in parchment," and essentially equates to less dishes. So really this is the ultimate quick recipe as the clean-up is also a piece of cake. I used cod, but feel free to substitute any firm white fish of your liking. The herbs can easily be interchanged as well. If basil isn't in season try parsley or cilantro, and be generous! The cooked herbs are delicious, as is the cooked lemon.

There are many videos online about how to fold your parchment packet. Some people have elaborate methods like cutting your paper into a large heart and making interlocking folds around the edges. Certainly effective, but that involves scissors... So unless you want to add a kids' craft project into the dinner-making process (which is certainly a viable option), I tend to suggest a simple folded rectangle. Call me old school... The ultimate goal is to create a seal such that the fish steams and the juices stay inside. However you wish is fine by me!

WHITE FISH EN PAPILLOTE

4 fillets (6 ounces each) skinless white fish such as cod or halibut

1 lemon, 1/2 sliced into rounds, the other 1/2 left whole

a handful of fresh basil leaves

4 cloves of garlic, minced

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place four pieces of parchment paper on the counter, with a fish fillet in the center of each. Drizzle each fillet with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Flip the fish over and give it a good rub so the fish is evenly covered. Squirt a bit of lemon juice over each, and toss a clove of minced garlic on each as well. Cover with a few basil leaves and slices of lemon.

Bring two opposing sides of your parchment together above your fish and fold under a few times so that you create a seam down the middle, leaving the ends open. Next fold the ends a few times and tuck them under the fish. (See note above for additional thoughts on parchment folding.)

Place your folded packets on a baking sheet, and pop them into the oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish. Serve the packets directly on your plates, or open them up and scoop out the contents for a parchment-free dinner table.